₦airaland Forum

Let’s share this information with our young creative minds under the age of 30. They stand the chance of being winners and making history.

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has denied filing a suit against the Peoples Democratic Party, its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

Speaking at the commissioning of House of Assembly Quarters in Port Harcourt, Wike said he was focused on delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Rivers State.

“People have called me that I went to court against Atiku Abubakar,” he said.

“I want to state categorically that I didn’t go to court. I just want to say it for Nigerians to know. I have kept quiet. I am busy with delivering the dividends of democracy.

“If they lose election, nobody should call my name. I have told the candidate.

“If I wanted to go to court, I would have gone to court within two weeks.

“It is the candidate’s group that are doing all these things. Let the world hear. They are the ones plotting all these things, thinking they will spoil my name.

“We are supposed to be talking about winning election.”

Transfer of votes
Legal documents filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja had surfaced late on Thursday showing Wike as a plaintiff in a case against the PDP, Atiku, Tambuwal and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

In the originating summons, Wike and his co-applicant are asking the court to determine eight issues which includes whether the purported transfer of Tambuwal’s votes to Atiku by the PDP was illegal and void.

The plaintiffs are also asking the court to determine if Tambuwal lost his claim to votes the moment he stepped down for Atiku.

Wike and Ekamon argued that should these issues be determined in their favour, the court should grant nine reliefs including a declaration that the purported transfer of Tambuwal’s votes to Atiku be declared null and void.

The plaintiffs are also seeking a declaration that the PDP acted negligently and in bad faith by assigning the Sokoto governor’s votes to Atiku at the primary.

They are praying the court to cancel the transfer of votes and a corresponding order restraining the 3rd respondent (Tambuwal’s) withdrawal in the primary was done after voting had commenced.”

The applicants also prayed the court to declare that the PDP and Atiku took undue advantage of Tambuwal’s withdrawal when they allowed the Sokoto governor to persuade delegates to vote for the former Vice-President in the primary.

Wike and Ekamon asked the court to order INEC to reject or remove Atiku from “its list of candidates in the 2023 presidential election.”

They are also seeking an order commanding the PDP to recount the votes of the primary that was held on May 28 and May 29.

Lastly, the applicants are seeking an order of the court “directing the 1st respondent (PDP) to declare the 2nd applicant (Wike), a presidential aspirant in the May 28 and May 29 primary as the winner of the aforesaid primary with a corresponding order directing the 1st respondent (PDP) to forward his name as the candidate to contest the presidential election in 2023.”

In a supporting affidavit he deposed to, Ekamon noted that he was a member of the PDP and attested to the fact that Wike won the presidential election.

He maintained that Tambuwal withdrew from the contest after voting had commenced and directed that his votes be assigned to Atiku.

he 21-year-old
After we go say buhari dey corrupt

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has said he will reveal all that has transpired in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) very soon.

Wike stated this in a terse tweet on Saturday evening.

He wrote: “I will speak soon and Nigerians will know the truth of all that has transpired in the PDP in recent times.”


Recall that on Friday, Atiku Abubakar the PDP presidential candidate for the 2023 election, spoke about why he didn’t choose Wike as his running mate.

Reacting to the controversy surrounding the choice of his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, Atiku said on Arise TV that he only picked who he felt could deliver among the nominees that were presented to him.

Atiku said, “I didn’t reject Wike, I picked who can deliver.”

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered a total ban on all use of Police SPY Vehicle Number Plates by vehicle owners across the states of the federation without exceptions. This is irrespective of whether it is authorized, or not, as all authorizations are hereby revoked indefinitely.



A statement released by CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson of the Nigeria Police force, states that the order is necessary to forestall the continuous disregard for traffic rules and regulations and other extant laws guiding road use by individuals hiding under the privileges of SPY police number plates.



The statement in part read

''The IGP has therefore directed that police officers and officers of other security agencies attached to VIPs who use the SPY number plates should ensure prompt compliance with this directive or risk being arrested for violation of the order.

Meanwhile, the IGP has directed Commissioners of Police (CPs) in the thirty-six (36) States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as their supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), to give full effect to the directives as contained above. The IGP specifically directed the AIGs and CPs to ensure that all SPY number plates currently in use are confiscated henceforth but the owners of such vehicles should not be arrested unless they are police officers or officers of other security agencies on escort duties.


The IGP however warned that while carrying out these assignments, officers must ensure the rights and privileges of citizens are respected in line with the laws of the land and in accordance with international best practices. Other security agencies and members of the public are enjoined to cooperate with the Police in this regard as the moves are aimed at strengthening our internal security.''

Ex Rivers south east Senatorial District Representative at the National chamber, Senator Magnus Abe has narrated how Former Nigerian Minister of Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi and the managing Director, Sahara Energy, Arch Tonye Cole Diverted the sum of 55 Million USD Rivers Money.

Abe, Former Political ally and Secretary to Rivers State Government Under Amaechi have been in disagreement over who controls the leadership of All progressive Congress APC in Rivers State.

Speaking with Supporters over the weekend, Abe alleged that the money was moved from Rivers State Account to Tonye cole through Access Bank

“Amaechi and tonye Cole stole 55 Million dollars. We all thought he was our leader, he went and brought his unknown friend from Lagos state.

“They had an agreement and he transfered the sum of 55 Million USD to Tonye Coles Account when he was a Governor without any Agreement or Documents showing the reason for the transfer. When Governor Wike Came, he saw the transaction.

“Governor wike Called and invited Tonye Cole to come and give reasons while such amount of money was moved to his Company’s account from the state Access Bank account, he refused instead they went to court to stop Wike from investigating them.

“The matter got to Supreme court and they have asked them to return to Rivers state and answer the questions or go to jail.

“He wants the same man to come and be our Governor so they will be transferring Our money dragging us backward. He Said.

The Nigeria Football Federation has suspended four teams involved in "scandalous scorelines" after two lower league clubs chasing promotion and needing to boost their goal differences won games 79-0 and 67-0.

In the matches, played at the same time, Plateau United Feeders reportedly scored 72 of their goals in the second half to beat Akurba FC 79-0. Police Machine swept 61 goals past Babayaro FC in the second 45 minutes of their 67-0 game.

The NFF called it "a mind-boggling show of shame" and said players, match officials and the tournament coordinator would be investigated for match-fixing.

The federation's director of competitions said "anyone found to have played some role in this despicable matter" would be "severely dealt with".

Nigeria suspends football teams over 'scandalous' 79-0 and 67-0 scoreline

The Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a reconciliatory committee to meet with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State over the fallout of the party’s presidential primary and crisis trailing the nomination of a running mate.

The committee is to be headed by the party’s presidential candidate and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and has 13 PDP governors as members.

Chairman of the party’s BOT, Senator Walid Jibril, made the announcement in a statement on Sunday, saying the visit to Governor Wike would take place immediately after Atiku and the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, return to the country from their vacation abroad.

“I have noted with a great concern and great sense of feeling on the various recent comments coming from some of our PDP members and some prominent Nigerians on the choice of Chief Okowa, the Governor of Delta State as the vice-presidential candidate by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of our Party PDP – the biggest party not only in Nigeria but the whole of Africa,” he said.

“All the comments and various submissions are very normal in any political setup in Nigeria today with PDP being the strongest and most prominent party that has all potential to form government in 2023.”

According to the BOT chairman, the reconciliatory committee will also comprise the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, as well as Ayu and members of the PDP National Working Committee.

Others include former PDP governors and ministers, as well as party elders from various zones and states in the country.

Senator Jibrin described Governor Wike as a very responsible and obedient PDP member who assisted tremendously in building the party to its present status.

Ahead of the reconciliatory meeting with the governor, he appealed to party members in Rivers not to leave the party and shun comments aimed at reducing and running down the party.

“We must come back to our senses by all our members and all most responsible and respectful Nigerians by giving total support to the party to enable it to form government by holding all political positions in Nigeria in 2023,” the BOT chairman said.

“We must come together and unite ourselves as earlier established by our founding fathers. We should, therefore, shun any bad comment aimed at dividing us. We must be ready to forgive ourselves, thereby encouraging Nigerians to continue supporting us and our party.

“It is my strong appeal to all current and former governors and former Presidents of Nigeria not to add more fuel to the fire but to always try to quench the fire from spreading. May I say it loud that we commend all our current PDP governors for their greatest assistance to the party always.”

The National Industrial Court (NIC) in the Port Harcourt has declared that the employment of Prof Barineme Beke Fakae, former Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University (RSU), formerly Rivers State University of Science and Technology, is valid, and he must be paid his more than seven years salaries the university withheld.

The Industrial court on June 17, 2022,ruled in favour of Prof Fakae in a case the renowned professor of veterinary science filed in 2015 against his employers before Justice P.I. Hamman.
Recall that Prof Fakae was moved from the Polytechnic Bori as Rector to rescue the then UST, a task he undertook for eight years and handed over to Prof Blessing Didia in August 2015, only for his employment not to be recognized and his salary stopped.

After waiting and pleading, Prof Fakae went to court to press for his rights before he could have been status barred, believing he served his state and the UST (now RSU) meritoriously and deserved applause, not punishment.

Delivering judgment, Justice Hamman hammered the RSU for withholding Prof Fakae’s salaries for years and ordered that the claimant’s employment with the defendant vide a ‘Letter of Offer of Appointment’ dated May 16, 2014, and which was accepted by the claimant by a letter dated May 16, 2014 be respected as valid and still subsisting.

The court further declared that Prof Fakae is entitled to all his entitlements, remunerations and/or other privileges which accrued to him as an employee of the defendant vide a letter of Offer of Appointment’ dated May 16, 2014.

The RSU was thus ordered to pay him his salaries from August 2015 to date based on the value of his monthly salary.

The court also ordered the RSU to pay the Professor his monthly salaries from November 2015 when the suit was initiated until judgment is delivered and the same sum from the date of judgment until the judgment sum is fully liquidated.

The court declared thus: “An order of perpetual injunction is hereby made restraining the defendant either acting by itself or it’s servants, agents, privies, assigns or whatever capacity as howsoever called or described from stopping the payment of the claimant’s salary including the arrears and other entitlements ascribed to him as an employee of the defendant.

“The terms of this judgment shall be complied with within 30 days from the date of delivery failing which same shall attract interest at 10 per cent per annum.”

The judge did not award any costs. He also did not agree to award Prof Fakae’s demand for N20m as general damages for injury, hardship, inconvenience, pains, and embarrassment.

The court also turned down his demand for accumulated leave of absence of 240 days as at July 2015 in line with condition of service of senior staff of the RSU.

The judge said he reached the decision after listening to the submissions of Barr Femi Bobade and Barr O.B Wokeh for Prof Fakae and Barr J.T. Okulu and H.E. Roberts for the RSU.


Prof Fakae was drafted from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) to revamp the then ailing Rivers Polytechnic Bori under Gov Peter Odili. He was hailed for a good job.

Gov Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi drafted Prof Fakae to go to a bigger rescue job at the then UST where killing, cultism, sexual abuse, exam fraud, and classroom administration fracture had rocked the university.

Reacting to the Judgement Prof Fakae described the outcome as the handwork of God Almighty who he said gave him victory.

The academic, who is popularly described as the Priest of Two Temples (presiding over both academic and spiritual temples) said: “I am most grateful to God. The victory has brought relief over the seven years of denial of salaries and earned privileges”, he added.

Peter Obi may or may not become our President at the end of the day, but his presence has activated something unusual in our history - CharlyBoy

Media personality, Charles Oputa aka CharlyBoy has said that Labour party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, may or may not win the Presidential election scheduled for February 25, 2023, but that his presence has activated something in Nigeria's history.

''I am smelling a “bloodless coup” in the making by ordinary Nigerians to retrieve their stolen future. Peter Obi may or may not become our President at the end of the day, but his presence has activated something unusual in our history and ordinary Nigerians. Wetin u think?''

“Ned Nwoko needs another young girl to marry” Governor Wike f!res Ned for att*cking him.

“One man who has been busy marrying all the young girls in Nigeria came out and was talking nons*nse about me in BBC news interview that Atiku dumped me because i am a trouble maker.

“Ned Nwoko should tell Nigerians what he has achieved ever since he joined politics other than jumping from one little girl to another. A Pedoph*le coming to talk to me a sitting Governor, he should hide his face in shame.


“I joined PDP before him, he has no political structure in PDP. I have higher stake in PDP than him. If he’s man enough let him contest for PDP Presidential primary election and watch if he will get one single vote.”

~ Nyesom Wike.

The postulation that President Muhammadu Buhari may recall ministers who resigned their positions to contest primary elections for the 2023 general election has been made a lie as the president has sent names to the National Assembly to replace them.
The Senate received notice to this effect with the nomination of six names as replacements for resigned ministers.
In a letter read by the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawa,n today, Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari said the nominees would replace the former ministers that resigned from his cabinet.

The letter read: “In accordance with Section 8 Subsection 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I hereby forward the underlisted ministerial nominees for your confirmation.”

The nominees are:
Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh – Abia State
Umana Okon Umana – Akwa Ibom State
Egwumakama Joseph Nkama – Ebonyi State, Goodluck Nnana Opiah – Imo State
Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub – Kano State
Ademola Adewole Adegoroye – Ondo State
Odum Odih – Rivers State

The resigned ministers include Rotimi Amaechi, Ogbonnaya, Godswill Akpabio and Emeka Nwajiuba, all of who contested for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress but were defeated by former Lagos state governor Bola Tinubu.

Nigerian rapper, Falz, is set to hold a free for all concert in Lagos to boost youths’ vote and participation in the forthcoming elections.
Nigerian rapper and activist, Falz, is encouraging Nigerians to get their voters’ cards by organising a free for all concert with the admission ticket being the PVC or TVC; permanent or temporary voters’ card.

Tagged Youth Vote Mega Concert 2.0, it is set to hold on the 11th of June at the monumental Tafawa Balewa Square with Falz as the performer. The show which is slated to start by 9am also offers an allowance to non-voters’ card owners to register for their voters’ card at the same venue.

Falz had created awareness about the concert by posting it on his social media accounts adding; “It’s a critical moment for us. Tell someone to tell someone please. Prime entertainment meets civic responsibility!”

This comes following his reaction to the killing of churchgoers by unknown gunmen in Owo, Ondo State.

Magnus Abe, Former Senator and Rivers State APC governorship aspirant has withdrawn from the party gubernatorial primary election. The APC primary election and State House of Assembly is scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.

Abe ally and former Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House, Tony Okocha, made this known in a statement sent to newsmen and gave reasons why the faction would not be participating in the exercise.

The statement reads; “I have been receiving a myriad of calls from our colleagues concerning the Nation~Wide Assembly and Governorship Candidates Primaries of our darling party, APC.”

“Please kindly take this as an official statement that we are not participating in an already skewed, biased, and prejudiced process in RIVERS. All our teeming supporters are advised not to dissipate scarce energies in a Process that will not pass muster.”

“Comfortably lounge in houses and homes and be exceedingly happy, with no interest in the usual charade of APC Rivers. However, we enjoin ALL to remain vigilant as we continue to bring you up to speed with unfolding events.”

“More than resolutely keep faith with the struggle. He who laughs last, laughs best.”

i totally agree with you
But why not do a mix instead of pairing them with other Africans?

Finally a Nigeria referee will be going to the world cup

Former governor of Anambra state, Mr. Peter Obi has dumped the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Obi announced his resignation in a letter dated 20, addressed to the National Chairman of the party.

In the letter sighted by Vanguard, Obi gave reasons for his withdrawal from the presidential race.

The Federal Government has said it would spend about N34 billion on the ongoing payment of minimum wage consequential adjustments to education sector workers with effect from 2019.

According to a statement by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the beneficiaries include the members of the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and their counterparts in the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, disclosed this while responding to questions from Labour correspondents in Abuja on the prolonged ASUU strike.

According to Ngige, the universities would get N23.5b, the polytechnics N6b and the Colleges of Education N4b, totaling about N34b.

Regarding the ASUU strike, the Minister said the committees set up during the last tripartite-plus meeting of the government and university-based unions were given a fortnight to turn in their report, and they were still working.

He added that the reports of the committees were being expected this weekend.

He said, “Those committees are working. The one on NITDA is testing the three platforms, the government’s Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) of ASUU, and the Universities Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (UPPPS) of the non-teaching staff.

“They started the testing last Thursday. The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) has issued their amendment circulars. The unions also have copies to take care of responsibility and hazard allowances wherever it has not been properly captured.

Ngige assured Nigerians that there may likely be wage adjustments as the government intensifies efforts to streamline wages through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

“We have done that of the Police, for example. It wasn’t envisaged that we should do it in bits. But you can see that it has been done. You can also see university teachers saying that their own should be done immediately, since we have done police. So, something is being done. It was part of the 2009 negotiation they had with the government then. So, the committee of Prof. Briggs is on it, discussing with the university unions and their employer, the Federal Ministry of Education. They will bring up something for government to see.

“There are other people. The doctors are complaining about brain drain, this and that. Their hazard allowance has to be touched and it was touched by close to 300 percent. From N5,000 paid across board for each person, the least person in the health sector is getting N15,000 while the big ones are getting N45,000. That is a quantum leap.”

The minister appealed to ASUU and other university-based unions once more to suspend their strike so that academic activities could resume in public universities across the country.

Jubril Ahmed, the husband of the pregnant woman killed along with her four children by unknown gunmen in Anambra state over the weekend, has said that he is devastated by the unfortunate incident.

Jubril who works as a security guard in Anambra State told Daily Trust that his wife was nine months pregnant and the family was expecting a new baby within the week when they were killed.

“They were coming back home after she visited her sister who was living in the nearby town. She and the four children were all wearing hijabs; that was why the gunmen targeted them.

As I’m talking to you, I’m in the process of recovering their corpses. The police have given me some documents which I will use to collect the corpses. I’m in the mortuary now, they are demanding N30, 000 from me before they will release the corpses of my family.

My hope is to take the corpses to Ganye Local Government Area in Adamawa State and bury them because the cemetery the Arewa community is using here is already filled.''he said.

The devastated husband gave the name of his late wife as Harira Jibril, 32, and those of the four children as Fatima, 9; Khadijah, 7; Hadiza, 5; and Zaituna, 2.

“I’m now left with nobody; they have wiped out my entire family. I am so worried and in trauma, there is a need for the government to do something,” Jibril said

Also speaking, the leader of the Hausa Community in Orunba South, Sarki Kabiru Bakari, said the plans to take the bodies of the deceased persons to Adamawa for burial had been canceled because the corpses were not taken care of in the mortuary, and could not withstand the travel to the North.

“We have now decided to bury them in Awka Wednesday (today). The mortuary attendant did not treat the corpses, no preservation measure was done; hence we cannot travel with the corpses as they have already started decomposing. We have no other option than to take them to Awka and bury them there,” he said


Bakari added that the security personnel had been deployed in the area and that the Anambra State police commissioner has visited them and assured them of swinging into action.

“But after we bury the victims, we will all relocate to our hometown in the North; we are no longer safe here. The husband of the woman will also relocate back to Adamawa as soon as he buries his family; he is working here as a security guard” he said.

Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, G.O of OPM gifts parents of late Deborah Samuel a Mini Flat of 14 blocks and a car (Corolla).

Frame 2 & 3 shows Deborah's parents signing the deeds of their new house.

Congratulations to the new landlords in Port Harcourt.

Fiery Catholic priest, Rev Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has set the agenda of competence, industrialisation, humility, sanity, religiosity and vision drive for whoever would become the next governor of Enugu state in 2023.

Mbaka set the agenda when one of governorship aspirants in the state and former Minister for Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji celebrated mass at the Adoration ground officiated by the priest in Emene, on Sunday.

He prayed God to fulfill Nnaji’s desires and to guide Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in the decision of who to settle for as his preferred successor.

Mbaka described Nnaji as an industrialist and a power generator who has the annoting of God in his endeavor, asking God to grant Nnaji’s will in his aspiration to become the next governor of Enugu state.

Mbaka said: “He (Bart Nnaji) is one of the governorship aspirants in Enugu and he has come to be with us. He is a great son of Wawa, a great man in the land of Umuode, a power generator. It will be well with you. My prayer for you is that the will of God be done.

“One of my children will become the Governor after Gburugburu ( Governor Ugwuanyi). We are also prayering for Gburugburu so that God will give him the wisdom, the grace, the favour to select a man after God’s own heart. That is my prayer for him in Jesus name.

“The person of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is in tandem with peace. There may not be too much flyovers in Enugu but there is peace. By midnight you see the people of Enugu walking about the streets fearlessly without security. The white men that came here the other day assessed it and I thank God for the good people of Enugu State that supported him to achieve it. The youths of Enugu, it shall be well with you.

“So, that is why I am praying for Gburugburu so that he will not make a mistake because one single mistake will put people in trouble. None of the politicians who are aspiring to be governor will expose his inner will. What you see are people who are not real. None of them is saying things from their heart, but we are waiting. Anyone they bring we will work for the people. If he wants peace, we will give him peace, if he wants to toy with the poor, we will chase him out of the seat.

“But we are praying so that God will give us someone who is sane, a tested and trusted personality, a competent hand, a father, a lover, an industrialist, a visionary, a godly person, a down to earth humble personality. We need a compassionate, empathic and sympathetic personality. Someone with a good heart and a good person.

“We don’t need terrorism in this state. We don’t want to hear that this one is in this cult while the other person is in another cult and then a cult war will start. They are all our children but we need a father to be governor so he will bring the the entire Enugu together. Anyone who enters Enugu will know that he has entered a land of peace.

“Because our people can survive even if you don’t help them. My prayer is that he selects a man of peace, a good man. I am not recommending anyone to him but I am praying that God puts a good man into his heart.”

There is now an air of uncertainty hanging over the outcome of the PDP Primaries in Rivers State as Dr. Farah Dagogo a frontline Governorship aspirant has taken the Peoples Democratic Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to court for allegedly removing his name from the primaries in the State Governorship election.

Farah Dagogo , a Member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency is seeking an order of the High Court to restrain INEC or any of its officers or agents from monitoring the conduct of the PDP primary election for the gubernatorial position for Rivers State scheduled for 26th May 2022.

The embattled federal lawmaker said his Primary Form was issued to him by the PDP as proof that he had met all the requirements required of him as an aspirant by the national headquarters of the party before he was taken away by some policemen led by the camp commandant, of government house DSP, Efeture Irikefe when he presented himself for screening last month.

The federal lawmaker is currently at the Port Harcourt correctional centre was arrested for allegedly sponsoring cultists to disrupt the screening of state and federal assembly candidates of the PDP last month in Port Harcourt.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has stated it will hold Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church Pastor Williams Kumuyi responsible for any eventuality at the proposed Aba crusade in Abia State.

The group asked CAN to stop gambling with lives.

It was reacting to the position of CAN to the proposed crusade, which it asked Kumuyi to call off over security concerns.

The group, in a statement from its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful said it was worrisome that CAN was yet to meet expectations o the Christian community but busy playing politics and allowing killing of Christians across the country.

It maintained it would not fold its hands and watch people of the zone slaughtered at the crusade.

The statement reads in part: “We want to be clear in our position to wit; we are not exaggerating over the security situations within the Eastern region of Nigeria.

“We maintain our sincere advice to Pastor William Kumuyi of Deeper Life Ministry on his planned crusade in Aba. This advice must be taken seriously and not ignored because if anything untoward happens to anyone in the said crusade we will hold him responsible.

“CAN must understand that they have not met the expectations of their member and the Christian community in Nigeria. CAN is busy playing politics and allowing Muslim fanatics to slaughter Christians everywhere in Nigeria.

“It is unbelievable that the Christian Association of Nigeria would not summon the courage to fight for their members when Muslims and its security men attack and murder their members.

“They should however understand that IPOB will not fold its hands and watch our people deliberately put in harms way to be slaughtered because of crusade, when they know that politicians will employ their local thugs to slaughter people and tag it that IPOB was responsible for such attack.

“The Christian Association of Nigeria should rather appreciate the genuine advice from IPOB and ESN members for giving pastor Kumuyi a security intel because we are here on the ground in Biafraland. Is CAN saying that insecurity cannot only be curbed with prayers?

“Security intel and strategy are what is required in a situation as this which is what we are applying now by advising Kumuyi and his deeper life ministry. The CAN must understand that IPOB has Judeo-Christians also as family members and it is our responsibility to protect from them political tugs and criminal elements.

“The Christian association of Nigeria is actually missing in action while hundreds of its members are being massacred daily either by the terrorists or by the Nigerian Security apparatus. Just some days back a suicide bomber detonated his suicide belt in a Christian school killing many school children. Where is CAN and what has been its reaction?

“IPOB does not have any issues with Kumuyi or other Pastors or men and women of God for that matter, what we are talking about is the security of Biafrans.

“Nigeria government and its security agencies especially DSS, Army and police will organise criminals, hoodlums and cultists to either attack the crusade venue or attack those going home from the crusade and blame it on IPOB in other to justify their aganda to tarnish our reputation across the world that (yes) IPOB did the attack and the world should designate IPOB terror group, that is what we are running from and we don’t want it to happen.”

He added: “Pastor Kumuyi and the CAN should publicly declare that they should be held responsible if any attack by those recruited by politicians and the Nigerian Security apparatus should happen during this crusade. CAN should stop gambling with people’s lives and Christians should understand that their lives matters.

“CAN should know that all politicians in Nigeria territory have criminal thugs they use to pursue a particular political interest and these people are not minding the repercussions or outcome, therefore we still advise Kumuyi and deeper life ministry to think twice and stop this crusade.

“CAN must be firm in defending the interest of Christians at all times because that is one of its core responsibility. It is however sad to watch them keeping quiet when they are expected to speak on behalf Christians. They become mute over the incessant abduction and killing innocent Christians in Nigeria.

“Most especially the recent murder of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto state. We want to ask can the Christian Association of Nigeria murder any Muslim in Nigeria without a serious reprisal across the country?

“Criminals in the region attacked INEC, Power Holding company, Schools, burial ceremonies, wedding ceremonies and blame it on peaceful IPOB and no media house or politician and Christian leadership will exonerate us because we are Biafrans, we don’t need crusade this time the security situations is very bad in the region. We won’t allow unnecessary waste of lives in territory again.”

KYIV (Reuters) - A 21-year-old Russian soldier told a court on Friday he had not wanted to kill an unarmed civilian and that he sincerely repented, as he delivered his final words at the first war crimes trial arising from Russia's Feb. 24 invasion.
Vadim Shishimarin, a tank commander, has pleaded guilty to killing Oleksandr Shelipov, a 62-year-old civilian, in the northeast Ukrainian village of Chupakhivka on Feb. 28.

"I sincerely repent. I was nervous at the time, I did not want to kill... that's how it happened," Shishimarin said.

Shishimarin is accused of firing several shots with an assault rifle at a civilian's head from a car after being ordered to do so.

Defence lawyer Viktor Ovsiannikov told the court that Shishimarin had only fired the rounds after twice refusing to carry out the order to shoot and that only one out of three-to-four rounds hit the target.

He said that Shishimarin had fired the rounds out of fear for his own safety and questioned whether the defendant had intended to kill.

"He was sitting at the window of a car... the car was moving at high speed with a punctured tyre," Ovsiannikov said.

"I conclude that Shishimarin fired aimless shots and did not intend to kill the civilian, and that he carried out the order not with the aim of killing the person, but formally, with the hope that (the rounds) would not hit," he said.

He said: "I personally think that it should not be this young man in the dock, but the senior leadership of the other country that I think is guilty of unleashing this war."

State prosecutor Andriy Synyuk said the arguments did not change the essence of the case.

"The court will analyse all the evidence and announce its decision. The defence's arguments in no way refute what we have given and do not refute ... the guilt of Shishimarin himself," the prosecutor said.

The judge may hand down a verdict on Monday when the court next convenes. The state prosecutor has asked the court to sentence Shishimarin to life in prison.

Ukraine has accused Russia of atrocities and brutality against civilians during the invasion and said it has identified more than 10,000 possible war crimes. Russia has denied targeting civilians or involvement in war crimes.

The Kremlin has said it has no information about the trial and that the absence of a diplomatic mission in Ukraine limits its ability to provide assistance.

The Supreme Court has granted Rivers State’s request to join in President Muhammadu Buhari’s suit against Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act.

Hearing in the suit has been fixed for May 26.

The Supreme Court fixed the date after joining Rivers State as an interested party.

Justice Muhammad Dattijo adjourned the matter following the concession by Buhari’s lawyer Lateef Fagbemi that the speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly and Attorney General, Rivers State, be joined as parties.



The Supreme Court has granted Rivers State’s request to join in President Muhammadu Buhari’s suit against Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act.

Hearing in the suit has been fixed for May 26.

The Supreme Court fixed the date after joining Rivers State as an interested party.

Justice Muhammad Dattijo adjourned the matter following the concession by Buhari’s lawyer Lateef Fagbemi that the speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly and Attorney General, Rivers State, be joined as parties.



Section 84 (12)
President Buhari and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami, had filed a suit at the Supreme Court, seeking an interpretation of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Amendment Act 2022.

In the suit filed on April 29, the President and AGF, who are the plaintiffs, listed the National Assembly as the sole defendant.



They are seeking an order of the apex court to strike out the section of the Electoral Act, saying it is inconsistent with the nation’s Constitution.

According to the court document, the plaintiffs contend that Section 84 (12) of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2022 is inconsistent with the provisions of Sections 42, 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 147, 151, 177, 182, 192 and 196 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended), as well as Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and People and Peoples Rights.

President Buhari and Malami also contended that the Constitution already provides qualification and disqualification for the offices of the President and Vice President, Governor and Deputy Governor, Senate and House of Representatives, House of Assembly, Ministers, Commissioners, and Special Advisers.



They urged the court to make: “A declaration that the joint and combined reading of Sections 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 147, 151, 177, 182, 192 and 196 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended); the provision of Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which also ignores Section 84(3) of the same Act, is an additional qualifying and/or disqualifying factors for the National Assembly, House of Assembly, Gubernatorial and Presidential elections as enshrined in the said constitution, hence unconstitutional, unlawful, null and void.”

In the same vein, the National Assembly has asked the Supreme Court to strike out the suit instituted by President Buhari.

The National Assembly, in its counter-affidavit, filed by its lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, said the Supreme Court cannot be invoked to amend the provision of any law validity made by lawmakers in the exercise of their legislative powers as granted by the Constitution.


They argued that the 1999 Constitution, as amended gave the National Assembly the power to make laws for good governance in Nigeria.

A middle-aged man, Mr Patrick Markson, has allegedly committed suicide after killing his wife over what eyewitnesses described as domestic matters in their Yenagoa residence in Bayelsa State on Thursday morning.

It was gathered that Mr Markson allegedly struck his wife on the head with a sledgehammer while she was in a deep sleep.

A facebook user, King James undiluted, who shared the story said, the man After killing his wife waited for her to bleed to death and afterwards drank what is suspected to be a poisonous substance.

Eyewitnesses further explained that he slept on the same bed, close to where he killed his wife at their residence, along Odede Street, Off Tombia Amassoma road in Yenagoa metropolis.

According to sources, the 35 years old victim, identified as Mrs Hannah Markson, is from the Okotiama community in the Gbarain clan in the same Yenagoa.

A family source, Mr Victor Kubor said: “I was surprised when I heard the news about their death. I know they were having issues, two weeks ago he complained to me about some marital issues, and I told him that we will see and discuss but we never did.”

“This morning a friend called me that both husband and wife were dead; that the husband (Patrick) beat the wife to death and drank snipper after his action. I am so shocked at the news, who did they leave the six children to? What a world!”

According to the elder sister of the wife, Mrs Boufuru Timipre, her sister was a gentle lady that had no time for problems.

She said: “Yesterday we were frying garri and the husband called me that he wanted to speak with my sister if we were together, I told him that when I get to where she was I will pass the message. On reaching her I told her and immediately we tried reaching him but we couldn’t, later he called again but I have left where she was so he told me to tell her to bring garri for home use.

“This morning, the son called me that the mum was seen dead and he wants me to come, as I was going to the house I called him and he told me the dad too was dead. So when I got to their house I went straight to the room, and I saw them both lying on the bed dead, but I noticed a can of snipper by the bed and a big hammer.”

She added that they had matrimonial issues but she has often spoken and settled both of them as husband and wife.

She added that “the genesis of their problems was when my husband died and I had a contract which I engaged him to benefit, after the contract he got N800,000 for himself and never gave anything to the wife, she was bittered and reported the issue to me, I approached him and told him what he did was bad to had treated her like that, because I involved him due to the facts that he married my sister but I didn’t suspect it will result to this, look at now they are both gone.”

When contacted for confirmation, the Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Asinim Butswat, said “operatives of the Bayelsa State Police Command, have evacuated two corpses of a husband and wife at Odede Street, off Tombia- Amassoma road, Yenagoa.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that one Patrick Markson ‘m’ 46 years, a native of Onopa, Yenagoa, attacked and killed his wife, Hannah Markson ‘f’ with a hammer. Thereafter drank a poisonous substance suspected to be sniper which led to his death.

“Photograph of the scene were taken, the hammer and bottle of the sniper were recovered as exhibits. Investigation is ongoing.”

Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, G.O of OPM has finally reached the family of late Deborah Samuel and they have agreed to relocate to Port Harcourt.
In a video call today with her parents, the man of God awarded scholarship abroad to Deborah's immediate younger brother.

Also, Deborah's siblings will be on scholarship from Primary to University level.
Plans are on the way to relocate the family to Port Harcourt so they can start a new life.

Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that he will remain grateful to Justice Mary Odili for her timely intervention that saved his political career in 2004.

Wike said he cried to Justice Odili when he discovered that his name was excluded from those cleared to contest as chairmen of local councils in the State

The Governor said Mrs.Odili listened to him and took the complaint to her husband, Dr. Peter Odili, who was the Governor of Rivers State then.

Wike spoke at the thanksgiving to mark the 70th birthday of Justice Odili and her retirement as Justice of the Supreme Court, at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chaplaincy, Catholic Institute of West Africa, (CIWA) in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
He said her husband first invited the then Rivers Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Uche Secondus, to confirm the observation and thereafter put a call across to the then National Secretary of the PDP, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor.

He said: “In 2004, that time the husband was the governor, so she was going to Bori Camp for women empowerment scheme. I was to run for second tenure as chairman of my local government (Obio-Akpor).

“Now, they were having lunch with her husband and the former State party chairman then, Prince Uche Secondus. And, I was told that my name had been removed in the list. So, I ran down to Government House.

“She has finished her own lunch, left her husband and was entering the vehicle. I said mummy I’m finished. She asked what happened, I said they’ve removed my name.

“She ran back straight to her husband and informed him. Her husband asked who removed his name. At that time, Secondus had left. The husband then called the security at the gate, they stopped Secondus and ask him to come back.

“That was how I went back as second term chairman. For me, I can’t talk about my growth without mentioning her. If she was not around that day, to see the governor, you know is not an easy thing. Her being around that particular day saved my career in politics. And so that was how I grew from there to become what I am today.”

Wike said he learnt a vital lesson from Mrs. Odili that determination to build the capacity to be successful in one’s career while not ignoring giving requisite attention to the family.

He said Justice Odili maintained a good balance that made her succeed both in her career as a legal practitioner, a mother and wife in the family.

He said Justice Odili remained an embodiment of care and compassion because she treated everybody with dignity.

The Governor said: “I have seen somebody who is very compassionate, and very caring. The moment you’re around her husband, she takes care of you.

“She sees you as her husband’s person and so she will always relate with you. Some of us are direct beneficiaries of the care through our relationship with the husband.”

Wike commended Justice Odili for the 44 years of meritorious public service, which he described as a no mean feat.

In his homely, the chaplain of the Chaplaincy at CIWA, Very Rev. Monsignor Pius Kii, spoke on on the physical and eternal benefits Christians derived from loving God, one another and their enemies.

In her speech, Justice Odili, described the joy she felt as unspeakable and a thing of honour to have governor Wike, as a sitting governor, doing a vote of thanks in her honour.

She said: ““The good Lord knows that Peter and I don’t know how to properly thank God. Our journey in life has been such that the good Lord has always been there.

“There has been challenges no doubt, but the good Lord did not promise us that we will not have challenges, tribulations or difficulties. But the good Lord has always stood by us and made us prevail in all those trials and tribulations.”

There have been reports that a coalition of northern socio-cultural groups, basically of Fulani extraction, purchased N100 million nomination and expression of interest forms of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest for President again in 2023.
Following the reports, Jonathan rejected the presidential form of the ruling APC purchased for him on Monday, purportedly by a group of supporters from the northern region.

Speaking through his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, the former president said it was an insult for the group to have bought him the forms without his permission.
However, sources told SaharaReporters on Tuesday that claims by the former President that he did not authorise the purchase of the multi-million-naira forms are far from the truth.
“Contrary to his denials, former President Goodluck Jonathan gave over N200 million to the governor of Jigawa, Mohammed Badaru, to purchase the APC nomination and expression of interest forms for him,” a source privy to the arrangement told SaharaReporters.
Interestingly, the Jigawa governor, Badaru last week joined other interested presidential aspirants to vie for the ticket of the APC by buying the N100 million nomination and expression of interest forms.

“I will join the Presidential race since everyone knows I’m a highly qualified person to do the job,” Badaru was quoted as saying during an APC stakeholders’ meeting held at Government House in Dutse last Tuesday.
The governor was also said to have told the gathering during the meeting that he was pressurised by his colleagues to contest for the presidential seat.

His media aide, Auwalu Sankara, said his principal had sought President Muhammadu Buhari’s blessings before buying the forms.
But SaharaReporters learnt that the Jigawa governor had bought the forms and come up with the statements as a ruse to deceive Nigerians; as he was indeed working for Jonathan.

It was further learnt that Jonathan backed out of the plan and swiftly came up with the denial after the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, had refused to guarantee that the former President would be the consensus candidate of the ruling party.
Jonathan was Nigeria’s leader as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is now an opposition party.
“The reason why he (Jonathan) gave him that much money – over N200 million – was that he asked the governor to buy himself a form too in order to cover up the deal,” the source said.

“And upon purchasing the form, Jonathan alerted Buhari. Buhari told him to meet with the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, but Adamu said he can’t guarantee him as a consensus candidate
“At that point, GEJ (Goodluck Ebele Jonathan) started denying that he purchased the form,” another source said.
SaharaReporters broke the story of how a cabal in the ruling APC had pushed for Jonathan to succeed Buhari, after being impressed by how the former President never openly criticised Buhari government despite its ineptitude and the insults the APC, as an opposition party, hurled at him (Jonathan) ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

The fact that Jonathan cannot spend more than one term in office, if they can manage to get him there, is also not lost on the cabal. However, SaharaReporters has also reported how Jonathan was later called a betrayer by the cabal after he failed to fulfil some of the conditions given to him, including convincing some PDP governors to defect to the APC.